Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was late in the day as a deep, muffled sound of sandpaper slid into Cetalu's docks; the common course of an importing ship had arrived just as the sun began to set. As a platform fell from the ship and into the cooling sand like a straightened bridge, a thin silhouette of a young woman emerged slightly haunched from the weighted bag she carried in both hands. As she stepped out onto the sand which hushed her wooden sandals, she took in a moments pause to carefully circumspect the area. As the ocean air brushed through the girl's done up hair, her figure was reconized as Fae, Pueblo's parent, as she moved forth into the village and farther from the falling sun.

However, her visit was made quick to the village as she hurride into the Centre with a bit of a curious skip in her stride. Her eyes were wide and it was clear her mind was set on a one-track goal. Without paying any attention to who was inside or what was inside (as far as changes went), as long as they didn't interfere with her path to Anakiro's dormitories, she was quickly there. Giving a gentle rap on the door frame, she waited for a reply, fidgiting in her spot.

As the door clicked open, Fae's heart gave a little leap, or maybe it was the extra bounce in her heel. Her face was rather grim, but at the sound of a squealing little girl summoned by Anakiro, Fae fell to her knees as the little Aerandir child pushed her way through Kiro's legs and left the crayons she had been coloring with soaring to the other side of the room.

"Maw-mee!" She cried as she clung around Fae hard.

Fae held tight to her little girl as tears started welling in her eyes as well. She placed her palm to the back of Pueblo's head and planted a kiss to the little girl's forehead. Then, with her other arm supporting the child, Fae lifted her up into the air as the girl rose to stand with a littler child wrapped all the way around like a koala. Fae had looked to Anakiro with a much warmer expression. "I apologize if my extra few days were out of the way for you and Tsu," she began.

Fae had returned to the little girl nuzzling into her mother's neck as Fae rubbed her hand over the girl's back to calm her down. She glanced up to Kiro with a look of relief and nodded considerably. "Good, that's good to hear. I take these two are pretty cool friends now?" Her glance flitted to Tsukai as he entered the picture.

Pueblo had quickly looked up and turned around to look at her two new 'family members'. Her right hand had quickly jutted out to reach for Tsukai as her wide, tear stained emerald eyes gaped for them. "Tsu com 'ome with us?" She squeaked, looking up into her mother's face for an answer. Her ears stood up, waiting for a hopeful answer.

Fae smiled and shook her head slowly. "No you silly-goose, this is Tsukai's home. But I'm sure you'll see him again real soon," she trailed off and looked over at Kiro to finish Pueblo's question.

Pueblo gave a shy smile as Kiro ruffled her hair, then allowed a quiet giggle to drain from her lips as Tsuaki leaped into her hair. The message seemed to have sunk in for Pueblo's spirits were lifted that she would see Tsu again.

Fae had nodded in agreement and said, "That's right, Abby, or....is it 'Bobo' now?" She paused for a second, rather confused if she should carry the new nickname that she was probably used to by now or not. She felt more comfortable with 'Abby'. "We will see them again soon. But for now, we need to go home and start teaching you real art."

Pueblo's ears twitched to the word 'art' and stopped poking Tsu momentarily. "Yaaay!" She blurted out. 'Hear dat, Tsu? I make you pwittiful arts!" Her eyes were lit up again with anxiousness.

As Fae shifted out of the doorway, she begun to say her goodbyes to the young anthro. "Well, I'm afraid we're needed off now. The house is probably covered in dust since I sent Twizzler to go live with my parents in Durem. He's much more needed there than here where I have really good friends who can look after lilttle Abby," she smiled warmly at Kiro for several moments. But before any longer, she gave him a little bow by the bend in her knees to indicate her exit.

Pueblo held her palm out for Tsu to jump into it so that she could give him back to his daddy."Bye-bye Tsuki!" She waved at the little gryphon with a small smile.

Fae had shot a grin over her shoulder at Kiro. "We will! Thanks again!" She called back to him before the two of them had dissapeared out of the Centre. And just like that, silence fell all around the empty hall again.

The door to the centre swung open as a small, orange furred child shot into the room. He was carrying a large blue towel, which unfortunately managed to unravel itself during the journey to the centre of the room. Part of it dragged on the floor. The towel happened to be a lot bigger than the Aerandir child.

"Oops!" Osusuki exclaimed as he realised that his towel was no longer folded, and indeed, was no longer all being held in his arms. Turning around, he tried to fold up the large blue rectangle again. And failed. Too little to be able to fold it like it had been before, all he did was create a big, messy bundle that was harder to carry than before. And one end still trailed.

Grinning at the kid and his attempts to control the towel, Ieyasu followed into the room after Osusuki. He too carried a towel; only, it was not around twice the size that he was. "Come on you. The springs are this way." Turning to the left, he headed down the long corridor. This was where the guest rooms were, as well as the entrance to the springs through the bathroom.

"Ok!" was Osu's enthusiastic, rather loud reply as he gathered up the towel as best he could and toddled after his guardian. Yassu said that the hot springs would be nice and warm! He could go in and play with the water. Water wasn't as shiny and pretty as fire was, but he'd rather have water to play in than nothing at all. Plus, it was better than being stuck in the house for the rest of the day.

As he followed Yassu through the bathroom, he gazed around himself. He remembered this place from before, but it would be different now. He was different! He had hands now afterall. And he was bigger too.

Ieyasu stopped as they stepped outside. Turning to Osu, his voice had a serious tone in it for once. "Right, we're here. I want you to wait for me before you go jumping in. The water's too deep for you in some places. Ok?"

He waited until he had gotten the kid's reluctant agreement before turning back to the springs again. First, he set his towel down by the edge. His clothes soon joined it. Turning to Osu, he called him over before stepping into the spring. He wanted to be sure that Osu would not dive bomb straight into the deep end. Somehow, it was exactly the thing that he could picture the rambunctious little kid doing.
"Right. You can get in now. But see this shelf here? That's the shallow bit - you wanna step onto that."

"Ok!" Dropping his towel in a large heap next to Ieyasu's, Osu rushed over to the side of the spring. He clambered over the edge and splashed down onto the shelf. Wow, this water was nice and warm! Giggling, he splashed at at water, watching it sprinkle over to the deeper parts of the pool. Water was fun to play around with!

It had seemed that Fae had the same idea as everyone else- what better way is it to relax then to go for a comforting dip in a steamy hot pool? Of course, this visit wouldn't be as relaxing since it would be Pueblo's first time at the springs. She knew Pueblo didn't enjoy water too much, which was odd considering her canine blood, but in any case, she wanted to show the little girl that there was nothing to fear from a little water.

As the two entered the steamy room, the first thing Pueblo noticed was those ghostly puffs of air floating around and the new humidity. She scrunched her nose up and looked up to her mother with troublesome eyes. "It's 'ard tu brith im hur," she fussed, but as they approched the pools, her eyes widened a little and she let go of her mother's hand. She pointed right at the pool Ieyasu and Osu was in without realizing and ran behind her mother's leg.

Meanwhile, Fae was having trouble with her glasses. Glass + high humidity = FOG. Taking them off reluncticly to wipe them on the white towels she held, she could still see far away objects alright. Looking down at Pueblo and guessing she was hiding because of the big pools, she looked up and saw that they were being watched. She reconized Ieyasu, but there was a little orange kid splashing around in the shallow end that she didn't know. "Hi, Ieya..." She cut off as she noticed a pile of clothes lain by the side of the pool. Questionable, a faint pink prickled in her cheeks and she gave him a funny smile. She found it harder to move now and the room had just gotton two times stuffier. "Wha-what's up?" she finally threw out as a towel slid from her grasp, also sending her glasses to crash against the ground. She bit her lip and looked down, but saw that little Abby had already taken care of it.

Coming out from Fae's leg, the sound of the falling objects made her ears jump and she quickly scrambled to pick the glasses up. Another questionable look set across her face as she stared into her reflection. She poked the white film on a lense and watched her finger....draw?! Ooooh, she remembered doing this as a gryphon! Then, her head turned to the towel and attempted to pick the heavy cloth up. Struggling to keep it altogether like Fae did, she felt the floor beneath her feet had a slick surface and fluttered her wings to keep her balance. It didn't work. Falling gently on her butt, she pouted deeply and her ears flattened in defeat. The towel laid across her legs in a wrinkly mess as the glasses were thrown aside.

"I think the woman needs a beer." Syrenei came through the bathroom and out the door to the springs wearing only a towel and a stupidy cheesy grin. It was hard to determine if it was genuine or fake. In one hand she held a couple bottles of dark, bitter-looking beer. Her other arm carried an full case. "Don't worry, I can make them cold."

Delta peered around the screen at the other two Aerandir. Gah! Stupid evolved dumb-heads! Not that she was jealous >> Oh no. And there was her mum. Ugh... all sanity and niceness seemed to have left her mum lately- she wasn't sure if she was more scared or embarassed... thus it was doubly good to be hiding. Besides, that stuff her mum was carrying looked like poo water.